U.S. patent application number 11/585204 was filed with the patent office on 2007-04-26 for flexible board.
This patent application is currently assigned to NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Kazuhiro Mitamura, Junichi Shimizu, Isao Watanabe.
Application Number | 20070089900 11/585204 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37984286 |
Filed Date | 2007-04-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070089900 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mitamura; Kazuhiro ; et
al. |
April 26, 2007 |
Flexible board
Abstract
A flexible board capable of being bent easily and precisely a
plurality of times at desired positions has insulating layer
exhibiting flexibility, a conductor layer and recessed angular
portions situated in both side edges of the board so as to oppose
each other. Three of more of these angular portions are disposed on
each side edge of the board. More specifically, the flexible board
has at least one constricted portion that reduces the width of the
board. The constricted portion is situated on both side edges of
the board in such a manner that the constricted portions oppose
each other, and has at least one of a step portion having a
step-like shape and a cut-out portion having a V- or U-like shape.
Three or more step-like portions and cut-out portions are situated
together on each side edge the board.
Inventors: |
Mitamura; Kazuhiro;
(Kawasaki, JP) ; Shimizu; Junichi; (Kawasaki,
JP) ; Watanabe; Isao; (Kawasaki, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
YOUNG & THOMPSON
745 SOUTH 23RD STREET
2ND FLOOR
ARLINGTON
VA
22202
US
|
Assignee: |
NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
KAWASAKI
JP
|
Family ID: |
37984286 |
Appl. No.: |
11/585204 |
Filed: |
October 24, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
174/254 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H05K 2201/09063
20130101; H05K 2201/09145 20130101; H05K 2201/055 20130101; H05K
2201/10121 20130101; H05K 1/118 20130101; H05K 1/028 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
174/254 |
International
Class: |
H05K 1/00 20060101
H05K001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 26, 2005 |
JP |
2005-311483 |
Claims
1. A flexible board comprising: an insulating layer exhibiting
flexibility; a conductor layer; and at least one load-bearing
portion that causes bending load to concentrate at one or more
bending positions.
2. A flexible board comprising: an insulating layer exhibiting
flexibility; a conductor layer; and recessed angular portions
situated in both side edges of said flexible board so as to oppose
each other; each side edge of said flexible board having three or
more of said angular portions.
3. A flexible board comprising: an insulating layer exhibiting
flexibility; a conductor layer; and at least one constricted
portion that reduces width of said flexible board; wherein said
constricted portion is situated on both side edges of said flexible
board in such a manner that said constricted portions oppose each
other, and has at least one of a step portion having a step-like
shape and a cut-out portion having a V- or U-like shape; three or
more in total of step-like portions and/or cut-out portions being
situated together on each side edge of said flexible board.
4. The flexible board according to claim 1, wherein one step
portion or cut-out portion reduces the width of said flexible board
by at least 0.1 mm.
5. The flexible board according to claim 2, wherein one step
portion or cut-out portion reduces the width of said flexible board
by at least 0.1 mm.
6. The flexible board according to claim 3, wherein one step
portion or cut-out portion reduces the width of said flexible board
by at least 0.1 mm.
7. The flexible board according to claim 1, wherein thickness is
not more than 0.1 mm.
8. The flexible board according to claim 2, wherein thickness is
not more than 0.1 mm.
9. The flexible board according to claim 3, wherein thickness is
not more than 0.1 mm.
10. The flexible board according to claim 1, wherein the insulating
layer is polyimide and the conductor layer is copper.
11. The flexible board according to claim 2, wherein the insulating
layer is polyimide and the conductor layer is copper.
12. The flexible board according to claim 3, wherein the insulating
layer is polyimide and the conductor layer is copper.
13. The flexible board according to claim 1, wherein said at least
one load-bearing portion comprises at least one constricted portion
that reduces the width of said flexible board by at least 0.5% of
the entire width of the flexible board.
14. The flexible board according to claim 2, wherein said recessed
angular portions comprise at least one constricted portion that
reduces the width of said flexible board by at least 0.5% of the
entire width of the flexible board.
15. The flexible board according to claim 3, wherein said at least
one constricted portion reduces the width of said flexible board by
at least 0.5% of the entire width of the flexible board.
16. An optical transceiver comprising said flexible board according
to claim 1.
17. An optical transceiver comprising said flexible board according
to claim 2.
18. An optical transceiver comprising said flexible board according
to claim 3.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a flexible board for electrically
connecting components. More particularly, the invention relates to
a flexible board that is capable of being bent.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Electronic components that have been developed in recent
years have become smaller and more complex. Not only are the
components disposed within these devices limited in terms of
position and orientation but they also require highly precise
mounting. In order to realize a desired layout in such an
electronic device, a flexible circuit board exhibiting flexibility
and having a metal foil serving as a conductor situated inside or
outside a resin film serving as an insulating layer is used as
means for electrically interconnecting the components of the
electronic device. As examples of uses of a flexible board, FIG. 1
is a schematic view of the interior of an optical transceiver 21,
and FIGS. 7A, 7B are plan views of a flexible board according to
the prior art. As shown in FIG. 1, the optical transceiver 21
includes a transceiving module 23 having a light-receiving element
and a light-emitting element (neither of which are shown) the
mounting positions and orientations of which are limited. By way of
example, in a case where the positional relationship is such that
the connection surface of the transceiving module 23 and the
connection surface of a mounting board 25 on which a driving
circuit has been mounted are orthogonal, as illustrated in FIG. 1,
the module and board are electrically connected using a flexible
board 11 of the kind illustrated in FIG. 7A or 7B. The mounting
procedure of the flexible board 11 shown in FIG. 1 is illustrated
in FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C. First, at the step illustrated in FIG. 2A,
leads 24 of the transceiving module 23 are fitted into connecting
portions 12 of the flexible board 11. The leads 24 are then
soldered. Next, at the step illustrated in FIG. 2B, the flexible
board 11 is bent into a prescribed shape. Then, at the step
illustrated in FIG. 2C, the flexible board 11 is mounted on the
mounting board 25. At the step of FIG. 2B, the flexible board 11 is
bent at points B and C into a substantially U-shaped configuration,
and is bent close to 90.degree. at point D. The flexible board 11
is bent at point A as well in such a manner that a strip-off force
will not act upon the contacting surfaces of the transceiving
module 23 and flexible board 11. The usual flexible board 11 has
the form shown in FIG. 7A. However, in another form known in the
art, silk-screened lines 15 consisting of an epoxy resin are
introduced along the bending lines by a silk screen printing
technique in order to indicate the bending positions, as
illustrated in FIG. 7B.
[0003] Other examples of flexible boards known in the art include a
flexible board in which bending positions are provided with
rectangular cut-outs to facilitate the bending of the flexible
board (see the specification of Japanese Patent Kokai Publication
No. JP-P2001-298217A, referred to as "Patent Document 1" below); a
printed wiring board provided with a plurality of through-holes at
locations of bends devoid of conductor circuits (see the
specification of Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No.
JP-A-3-257985, referred to as "Patent Document 2" below); a
flexible board the bending of which is facilitated by reducing
thickness at the bent portions (see the specification of Japanese
Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-A-3-112594, referred to as "Patent
Document 3" below); a flexible printed circuit board in which
conductor patterns are made to include indicia in order to clearly
indicate the bending positions (see the specification of Japanese
Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-A-4-18785, referred to as "Patent
Document 4" below); and a circuit board which, although it is not a
flexible board, is formed to have rectangular constrictions to
enable the bending of a board formed of a hard material such as
glass epoxy resin, and is further formed to have grooves or the
like along the bending lines in order to facilitate bending (see
the specification of Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No.
JP-P2005-191432A, referred to as "Patent Document 5" below).
[Patent Document 1]
[0004] Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-P2001-298217A
[Patent Document 2]
[0005] Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-A-3-257985
[Patent Document 3]
[0006] Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-A-4-112594
[Patent Document 4]
[0007] Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-A-4-18785
[Patent Document 5]
[0008] Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-P2005-191432A
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0009] A flexible board exhibiting flexibility lacks bendability
owing to its restoration force. In particular, if one end of a
flexible board is bent after it is joined to an electronic
component, the joint is subjected to stress at the time of the
bending operation and there is the danger that joinability will
suffer. Further, repeating the bending operation because the board
is difficult to bend detracts from the efficiency of a parts
mounting operation. Furthermore, if a flexible board cannot be
maintained in the bent state, it will attempt to return to its
original form by spring-back. The bending angle (or radius of
curvature), therefore, will be larger than the desired bending
angle (or radius of curvature). As a result, the joint between the
flexible board and a mounting board (or transceiving module) joined
to the flexible board is subjected to a force in a direction that
attempts to separate the two boards from each other. The end result
is a decline in the connection reliability of the flexible
board.
[0010] Further, it is necessary for the bending positions of a
flexible board to be decided in advance. However, since bending
positions are specified one by one in every bending operation, the
efficiency of the operation is poor. Although a flexible board with
silk-screened lines of the kind shown in FIG. 7B also is available,
the silk-screened lines have a fixed width. Consequently, even
though the flexible board is bent based upon the silk-screened
lines, there is a variance in the bending positions. Furthermore,
adding on the step of printing the silk-screened lines on the
flexible board is undesirable in terms of manufacturing efficiency
and cost.
[0011] In an arrangement having a single rectangular cut-out of the
kind described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, bending the flexible
board upon itself is easy. However, the flexible board is not
suitable for being bent precisely a plurality of times in the
manner illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3. With such a flexible board,
therefore, various layouts of electronic devices cannot be
supported and the flexible board cannot be bent in accurate
fashion. In the arrangement having the grooves, as described in
Patent Document 3, the grooves must be formed in a flexible board
that usually has a thickness of 100 .mu.m or less, and this is
undesirable in terms of labor and cost. The arrangement in which
conductor patterns have indicia of the kind described in Patent
Document 4 is similar to that having the silk-screened lines, and
bendability of the flexible board itself cannot be improved.
Further, the board described in Patent Document 5 is a hard board
such as one of glass epoxy resin. Bendability of a flexible board
such as one made of polyimide is not improved.
[0012] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a flexible board that is capable of being bent easily and
precisely a plurality of times at the desired positions.
[0013] In the present invention, a flexible board is formed to have
a load-bearing portion for causing bending load to concentrate at a
bending position, the load-bearing portion serving as means for
indicating the bending position. The load-bearing portion
preferably has a recessed angular portion so as to enable the
flexible board to be bent exactly a plurality of times.
[0014] In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention,
the flexible board comprises an insulating layer exhibiting
flexibility; a conductor layer; and a load-bearing portion that
causes bending load to concentrate at a bending position.
[0015] In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention,
the flexible board comprises an insulating layer exhibiting
flexibility; a conductor layer; and recessed angular portions
situated in both side edges of the flexible board so as to oppose
each other; each side edge of the flexible board having three or
more of the angular portions.
[0016] In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention,
the flexible board comprises an insulating layer exhibiting
flexibility; a conductor layer; and at least one constricted
portion for reducing width of the flexible board; wherein the
constricted portion is situated on both side edges of the flexible
board in such a manner that the constricted portions oppose each
other, and has at least one of a step portion having a step-like
shape and a cut-out portion having a V- or U-like shape; three or
more in total of step-like portions and/or cut-out portions being
situated together on each side edge of the flexible board.
[0017] In accordance with a preferred mode of working the third
aspect, one step portion or cut-out portion reduces the width of
the flexible board by at least 0.1 mm.
[0018] In accordance with preferred modes of working the first to
third aspects, the thickness of the flexible board is less than 0.1
mm. In accordance with other preferred modes, the insulating layer
is polyimide and the conductor layer is copper. In accordance with
other preferred modes, the flexible board is used in an optical
transceiver.
[0019] The meritorious effects of the present invention are
summarized as follows.
[0020] In accordance with the present invention, forming the
flexible board to have the load-bearing portion (recessed angular
portion or constriction) makes it possible to bend the flexible
board easily a prescribed number of times at the required positions
without dispersing the bending load. Since bending position is
defined clear by the load-bearing portion, the efficiency of the
bending operation is improved and bending positions can be unified
from one flexible board to another. In particular, when the
flexible board is bent after one end of the board is joined to an
electronic component, as illustrated in FIGS. 2A to 2C, the board
can be bent easily and efficiently at the prescribed positions
without subjecting the joint to stress. Further, since the bend is
assured by the load-bearing portion, the amount of spring-back can
be reduced and joinability is improved. Furthermore, the flexible
board according to the present invention readily lends itself to
the design of electronic components. In other words, by adjusting
the number and spacing of the recessed angular portions or the
length and width of the constricted portions, namely the number and
spacing of step portions and/or cut-out portions, the flexible
board can readily be made to support a desired component
layout.
[0021] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters
designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures
thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view illustrating an example of
the internal structure of an optical transceiver that uses a
flexible board;
[0023] FIGS. 2A to 2C are process diagrams illustrating the
mounting procedure of a flexible board in the optical transceiver
shown in FIG. 1;
[0024] FIGS. 3A to 3D are plan views illustrating the form of a
flexible board according to the present invention, the board having
step portions;
[0025] FIGS. 4A to 4C are plan views illustrating the form of a
flexible board according to the present invention, the board having
cut-outs;
[0026] FIGS. 5A to 5C are plan views illustrating another form of a
flexible board according to the present invention;
[0027] FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating a flexible board
fabricated in a first embodiment; and
[0028] FIGS. 7A and 7B are plan views illustrating conventional
flexible boards (related art) applied to the optical transceiver
shown in FIG. 1.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0029] The present invention will now be described in detail with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0030] A flexible board has a conductor layer disposed inside or
outside an insulating layer that exhibits flexibility and usually
is used in electrically interconnecting components. In the flexible
board of the present invention, the flexible board is provided with
means for concentrating bending load at bending positions (first
aspect of the invention) or, preferably, with recessed angular
portions at the bending positions (second aspect of the invention).
It will suffice if each recessed angular portion has an overall
shape in the form of an angular recess. That is, the angular
portion may be of a shape having an apex or of a shape having
roundness. For example, the angular portion may be a portion formed
by straight lines or a portion formed by arcuate curved lines. The
recessed angular portions are disposed on both side edges of the
flexible board in such a manner that a pair of angular portions is
formed with respect to each single bending point. Preferably, three
or more recessed angular portions are formed on each side edge of
the flexible board (i.e., three or more pairs of the angular
portions are formed).
[0031] Constricted portions (third aspect) that narrow the width of
the flexible board are formed as a more detailed mode of working
the second aspect of the invention. The constricted portions are
disposed on both side edges of the flexible board so as to oppose
each other, and each constriction has a step portion and/or a
cut-out portion. A pair of the step portions and/or cut-out
portions are formed with respect to each single bending point.
Preferably, three or more are formed on each side edge of the
flexible board (i.e., three or more pairs are formed). Examples of
flexible boards according to the present invention are illustrated
in FIGS. 3A to 3D and FIGS. 4A to 4C. FIGS. 3A to 3D are diagrams
mainly illustrating flexible boards having step portions, and FIGS.
3A to 3D and FIGS. 4A to 4C. FIGS. 4A to 4C are diagrams mainly
illustrating flexible boards having cut-out portions. The forms of
the flexible boards illustrated in FIGS. 3A to 3D and FIGS. 4A to
4C each have four bending positions A to D of the kind shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2A to 2C.
[0032] In the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 3A to 3D, both
side edges of a flexible board 1 are formed to include a plurality
of step portions 5b that narrow the width of the board. The step
portion 5b refers to a single step-like portion (a difference in
level). The step portion 5b may be of any shape and may be one in
which a recessed angular portion 5a has an apex or roundness. In
the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 3A to 3D, the flexible
board 1 has four of the step portions 5b on each side edge, and one
pair of mutually opposing step portions 5b is formed with respect
to each single bending position. Thus, four pairs of the recessed
angular portions 5a are formed. By narrowing the width of the
flexible board by means of the step portions 5b, the flexible board
1 becomes easy to bend along lines connecting the mutually opposing
recessed angular portions 5a that construct the step portions 5b.
Accordingly, it is so arranged that the recessed angular portions
5a are placed along the bending points (points A to D).
[0033] For example, in the form of the invention illustrated in
FIG. 3A, four step portions 5b are formed in such a manner that the
narrowest portion of the flexible board 1 will be situated at the
intermediate step portions. In the form of the invention
illustrated in FIG. 3B, however, the step portions 5b are formed in
such a manner that the narrowest portion of the flexible board 1
will be situated at the lowermost step portions. Preferably, the
step portions are formed in such a manner that a portion having the
largest bending angle or a portion at which it is desired to reduce
spring-back will be the narrowest portion of the flexible board.
Further, the arrangement is such that the angular portions of the
step portions 5b in FIGS. 3A and 3B are 90.degree. or 270.degree.,
i.e., such that the lines forming the angular portions are at right
angles. In FIGS. 3C and 3D, however, the angles of intersections of
the lines forming the angular portions are not right angles. Here
the recessed angular portions 5a constituting the bending positions
of the board define angles of 180.degree. to 270.degree. in the
arrangement illustrated in FIG. 3C and angles of 270.degree. to
360.degree. in the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 3D.
[0034] One step portion 5b preferably reduces the width of the
flexible board by at least 0.1 mm. For example, in the case of the
arrangement shown in FIG. 3A, widths d.sub.1 to d.sub.4 preferably
are each at least 0.1 mm and, more preferably, 0.2 mm or greater.
The widths d.sub.1 to d.sub.4 can be made different from one
another, and it is so arranged that the widths d.sub.1 to d.sub.4
are set appropriately in accordance with the position of a
conductor layer 3 and bending angle. In a case where one difference
in level of the step portion 5b is expressed by a ratio with
respect to the full width of the flexible board 1, it is preferred
that the one step portion 5b reduce the width of the flexible board
by at least 0.5%. Further, the spacing between the dashed lines at
the bending points indicated by points A to D shown in FIGS. 3A to
3D can be set appropriately in accordance with the spacing of the
components to be connected and the layout of surrounding
components.
[0035] In FIGS. 4A to 4C, cut-out portions Sc that narrow the
flexible board 1 are formed in both side edges of the board. Here
the cut-out portion 5c refers to a portion the shape of which is
defined by cutting into a portion of the flexible board 1. The
angular portion 5a that bears the bending load in the cut-out
portion 5c may be V-shaped portion having an apex or a U-shaped (or
arcuate) portion having roundness at the bottom thereof. In FIGS.
4A to 4C, the flexible board 1 has four of the cut-out portions 5c
on each side edge, and one pair of mutually opposing cut-out
portions 5c is provided with respect to each single bending
position. Thus, four pairs of the recessed angular portions 5a are
formed. By providing the cut-out portions 5c, the bending load acts
upon the locations of the board at which the width thereof is
reduced by the cut-out portions 5c and hence the flexible board 1
becomes easy to bend. Accordingly, the cut-out portions 5c are
formed in such a manner that the locations (angular portions 5a) of
reduced board width will lie at the bending points (points A to
D).
[0036] For example, in the form of the invention illustrated in
FIG. 4A, triangular shaped (V-shaped) cut-out portions Sc are
formed on both side edges of the flexible board 1 so as to oppose
each other. In the form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 4B,
however, arcuate (semi-elliptical, semicircular or U-shaped)
cut-out portions 5c having curvature are formed on both side edges
of the flexible board 1 so as to oppose each other. In both
arrangements, the angular portions 5a are disposed at the bending
points (points A to D) so as to reduce the width of the bending
positions. However, the angular portion 5a has an apex in the
arrangement of FIG. 4A and exhibits roundness in the arrangement of
FIG. 4B. Further, in the arrangement of FIG. 4B, the cut-out
portions 5c at points B and C are made deeper than those at points
A and D to thereby produce a difference in the width of the
flexible board 1. In the arrangement of FIG. 4C, constrictions are
formed by combining the step portions 5a and the cut-out portions
5c. Further, besides adopting the forms of the invention
illustrated in FIGS. 4A to 4C, the cut-out portions 5c may be made
a pair of incising lines.
[0037] One cut-out portion 5c preferably reduces the width of the
flexible board by at least 0.1 mm. For example, in the case of the
arrangement shown in FIG. 4A, width d.sub.5 preferably is 0.1 mm or
greater and, more preferably, 0.2 mm or greater. In a case where
the cut-out portion 5c is expressed by a ratio with respect to the
full width of the flexible board 1, it is preferred that the one
cut-out portion 5c reduce the width of the flexible board by at
least 0.5%. Further, the spacing between the dashed lines at the
bending points indicated by points A to D shown in FIGS. 4A to 4C
can be set appropriately in accordance with the spacing of the
components to be connected and the layout of surrounding
components.
[0038] Other forms of the flexible board according to the present
invention are illustrated FIGS. 5A to 5C. In FIG. 5A, a constricted
portion on each side edge of the flexible board 1 has three
recessed angular portions 5a. The constricted portion defines a
shape that unites two step portions 5b and one cut-out portion 5c
or a shape that unites three cut-out portions 5c. A central angular
portion 5a (the portion where the board is narrowest) is rounded.
In FIG. 5B, the constricted portion has four recessed angular
portions 5a. This constricted portion defines a shape that unites
two step portions 5b and two cut-out portions 5c or a shape that
unites four cut-out portions 5c. In FIG. 5C, two constricted
portions are formed on each side edge of the flexible board 1, and
one constricted portion is formed to have two recessed angular
portions 5a. This constricted portion defines a shape obtained by
combining two mutually facing step portions 5b.
[0039] In the forms of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 3A to 5C,
a pair of mutually opposing angular portions 5a (step portions 5b
or cut-out portions 5c) have line symmetry with respect to the
center line of the flexible board 1 along the longitudinal
direction. However, the pair of mutually opposing angular portions
5a (step portions 5b or cut-out portions 5c) need not have line
symmetry.
[0040] In the flexible board 1 of the present invention, various
resins can be used appropriately as an insulating layer 4 taking
the modulus of elasticity, etc., into consideration. For example,
polyimide having a Young's modulus of 5.7 GPa can be used. A metal
exhibiting good electrical conductivity preferably is used as the
conductor layer 3, and copper foil is particularly desirable.
Preferably the flexible board 1 is formed to have a thickness of
less than 0.1 mm. The angular portions (step portions and/or
cut-out portions) of the flexible board may be formed at the same
time that the insulating layer is formed, or the angular portions
may be formed by cutting away portions of the insulating layer 4
after the flexible board 1 is fabricated.
EXAMPLE
[0041] The flexible board 1 illustrated in FIG. 6 was fabricated
using copper foil as the conductor layer. A constricted portion has
four pairs of recessed angular portions in such a manner that four
bending points are provided. The constricted portion was formed
from four step portions of maximum widths t.sub.1 of 1.2 mm
(approximately 21% of total board width), t.sub.2 of 0.2 mm
(approximately 3.6%), t.sub.3 of 0.5 mm (approximately 8.9%) and
t.sub.4 of 0.6 mm (approximately 11%) in both side edges of the
flexible board the overall width t.sub.5 of which is 5.6 mm in such
a manner that the width of the step portion at the central part of
the board is the smallest. Each step portion tapers toward the
upper side, and the recessed angular portion is situated at the
bending position. From another point of view, the constricted
portion can be regarded as being formed from four contiguously
formed cut-out portions. In order to be incorporated in an optical
transceiver of the kind depicted in FIG. 1, this flexible board was
first soldered to the transceiving module, after which the flexible
board was bent into the configuration illustrated in FIG. 1. As a
result, the flexible board could be bent easily and smoothly at the
prescribed bending positions (angular portions).
[0042] A flexible board according to the present invention can be
utilized in various electronic devices such as optical
transceivers.
[0043] As many apparently widely different embodiments of the
present invention can be made without departing from the spirit and
scope thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not
limited to the specific embodiments thereof except as defined in
the appended claims.
[0044] It should be noted that other objects, features and aspects
of the present invention will become apparent in the entire
disclosure and that modifications may be done without departing the
gist and scope of the present invention as disclosed herein and
claimed as appended herewith.
[0045] Also it should be noted that any combination of the
disclosed and/or claimed elements, matters and/or items may fall
under the modifications aforementioned.
* * * * *